PITTSBURGH — The last people to be answering questions about injured players are coaches. They don't tend to be an overly sympathetic group.

UConn guard Shabazz Napier was obviously limited in Saturday's 69-61 loss at Pitts- burgh by the left shoulder bruise he suffered Monday night against Louisville. However, coach Kevin Ollie was not about to even begin to use that as an excuse. "He was out on the court," Ollie said. "He was 100 percent."

Everybody else in the Petersen Events Center could see that Napier was a long way from being 100 percent.

Napier attempted just seven shots, six of them from beyond the 3-point arc. He didn't penetrate into the defense because he wasn't comfortable dribbling with his left hand. As a result, Napier wasn't really involved in the offense, finishing with just eight points and two assists.

Napier was cleared to play a couple of hours before the game and decided to give it a go. He was in his usual spot in the starting lineup, but was clearly hampered.

"Shabazz's shoulder is messed up," guard Ryan Boatright said. "You could tell he wasn't himself. We need him to get healthy as soon as possible."

Napier made just two field goals and went to the free-throw line for just two attempts. He entered the game with healthy team leads in field goals attempted and free throws attempted. He played 34 minutes, just two minutes shy of his average, but was mostly a nonfactor.

Fortunately for Napier, the Huskies don't play again for a week until Rutgers pays a visit to the XL Center. "The break is good for everybody," Napier said. "It's definitely great for me."

Napier still has not missed a game in his UConn career, a span covering 92 games.

Finding footing: UConn freshman guard Omar Calhoun struggled through the first three Big East games of his career, scoring a combined 17 points while not reaching double figures in any of those three games. The tide has shifted a bit.

Calhoun scored 20 Monday night against Louisville and followed that Saturday with 14 points, 11 in the second half. His contributions against the Panthers were huge considering Napier's ineffectiveness.

Most importantly, Calhoun looks more comfortable playing within the league. He doesn't seem intimidated by the Big East any more.

"I feel like I'm getting better," Calhoun said. "I just have to keep the progression. I'm just trying to feel my way out. I have to space myself off the two guards and do what I can to help the team win."

His defense certainly needs a good deal of work but the Huskies right now will settle for his offensive game starting to find some consistency.

Last hurrah?: Saturday's game marked the final time UConn and Pittsburgh will meet as Big East foes and it might have marked UConn's last trip to the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers are off to the ACC next season.

The teams have had some tremendous battles, particularly in the last decade. Many of those have come in the league tournament — nobody will soon forget Kemba Walker's buzzer-beater two years ago in New York — and the two teams have combined to go 599-198 over the last 12 years, making them the two winningest Big East programs in that span.

"We're going to miss them," Ollie said. "More power to them. I know our president and (athletic director) will get us in the right position. We're going to be in the right spot soon, I believe."

Free throws: UConn's front court of DeAndre Daniels, Tyler Olander and Enosch Wolf combined for six rebounds. All of them came from Olander ... Niels Giffey played 30 minutes, a season-high in a regulation game. He played 32 minutes in the overtime loss at Marquette.

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